Garment buckle



Sept. 20, 1932. A, H. KERNGOOD GARMENT BUCKLE Filed Sept. 3, 1930 Patented Sept. 29, 1932 um'rsn sA'rEs ATENT oFFrcE ALLEN H. KERNGOOD, 0F BALTIE'IORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO ALMA MANUFACTUR- IN G COMPANY OF BALTIMORE CITY, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A CORPORATION OF MARYLAND GARMENT BUCKLE This invention relates to buckles such as are used upon clothing, and particularly to buckles of the center-bar type adapted primarily to be sewedupon theparts to which :they are applied.

One object of the invention is to provide a buckle of strong construction and neat appearance which will function well in use, and which lends itself readily to the sewing-0n aoperation whether such operation is performed by hand or by machine.

A further object is to provide a buckle which will not pucker the material to which it is applied.

The invention contemplates a buckle the frame of which includes side and end bars all of which are preferably of concavo-convex cross-section, and a center bar. Theend bars are provided with gripping means,- prefjerably in the form of blunt teeth which, in

the form shown in t 7 drawing, extend at opposite angles towarc each other, and the center bar is provided with a plurality of ofl"- sets the under faces of which lie preferably in a plane coincident with the outer edges of the side bars and which provide means for receiving and centering the buckle-attaching stitches and for preventing puckering of the material to which the buckle is applied by such stitches, all as will be hereinafter more particularly explained and finally claimed.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating the invention, in the several figures of'which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 iisa perspective View of a buckle, embodying the features of the invention, applied to an. article such as a cloth band or strap. Fig. 2 is. a top plan view of the buckle. Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line i s of Fig 2. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 55 of Fig. 1. V

The buckle has a frame comprising similar side bars 1 and 2 and end bars 3 and 4, and is of ornamental contour wherebyit is given a neat and attractive appearance.

The side and end bars are preferably of conoavo-conveX cross-section, as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, thus giving the frame marked strength and rigidity and making possible its fabrication from relatively thin stock.

The end bars 3 and 4; are provided on their inner edges with lips 5 and 6, respectively, off-standing. therefrom at opposite angles toward each other, and preferably provided with blunt or rounded gripping teeth 7, as

shown, whereby a strap may be gripped, Without tearing, when passed through the buckle in engagement therewith.

Carried by the side bars 1 and 2 interme-' diate the end bars 8 and'l is the center bar 8. This center bar is provided with a plurality of offsets 9 the under faces 10 of which. have portions which lie a plane coincident with the outer downturned edges 11 and 12, respectively, of the side bars 1 and 2, as will be apparent from an inspection of Figs. 8, 4. and 5. These offsets 9 in the center bar serve as a means for receiving the buckle attaching stitches indicated at 13 in Figs. 1 and 5, and their conformation,or curvature, as shown, will have a tendency to guide the stitches into intimate relation with each other at the lowest portions of the ofisets.

in stitched-on buckles of the types with which I amfamiliar and wherein the center bar is utilized as the means over which the at taching stitches are applied, notches are ordi-' narily provided in the opposite edges of the centerbar for assembling the stitches in appropriatebunched relation and for main taining the buckle in fixed'position by pret Such notches present no st1tch1ng d1flicult1es when the sewing on of the buckle is performed'by hand, but when a stitching machine is used, it is difiicult toso control the application of the stitches bv the machine that they will all engage with the notches as desired. a

By providing the offsetsl) in the center bar,

in accordance with the present/invention, it will be apparent that the stitches will be self locating relatively to the center bar, whether applied by hand or by machine,as they will all, when drawn tight, tend to slide down to the lowest portions of the oflfsets 9 and will be thus bunched together in the several offsets and-will not only 'be'thus neatly arranged relatively to the center bar, but Will prevent movement of the buckle relatively to them.

Moreover, by so forming the offsets 9 that portions of the lower faces 10 thereof lie in a plane coincident With the outer downturned bars and end bars, and a center bar carried by said side bars intermediate said end bars, said center bar being bent throughout its Width to provide spaced apart depressed inclined offsets extending out of the plane of w edges 11 and 12,;1espectively, of the side bars the buckle frame and each serving as anieans 1 and 2,it Will "be apparent that the biiiikle is supported upon the material to Wl'llCll llJ is to be applied, or is applied, ato a plurality of ,tliiQughout' its Width',,'aiidthusfdur- I ingthe stitching-on operation, or thereafter, particularly When laundered, the tendency of the material of the article to which 1 buckle is applied, especially jfllleil is a band or strap of cloth, such as that indicated at 14 in Figs, 1 and 5, to pucker or gather, will be L ,1, h 1: V; o lfdesired, the, portions 15 of,the center bar which lie betweenthe offsets 9, may be pi'giviclecl ,witl openingsidh furnishing-1 a means whereby-the buckle maybe riveted or eyeleted 'OrQOtherWise attached to the materialorarticlel M A ObVi,ously, tliebuckle is utilized, when attached to an article, by passing a strapend, notshown,beneath. the and bar 3, over the for teeming-"a pluralityof attaching stitches spanning said center bar, the contour of said offsets serving to bunch said stitches andth s positionsai'dbuckle relatively to said stitches, 7 and serving also to position sai d stitches relatively to said center bar. I

2I"A"buckle, having a frame including side bars and end center bar carried by said side bars intermediate said end bars, said side bars hai' ing downturned outer edges, and said center bar bent tl oughout its Width to provide spaced apart depressed inclined olf sets having portionslying in a plane coin cident with said downturne d outer edges 5 whereby said center bar is supportedupon an article,.eachof'said offsets serving-to rel ceive, a plurality of stitches spanning said center bar for attaching-said buck e to said article, the, depressed inclined conformation V w of said offsets serving to bunch said stitches l centerbar 8 and under the end bar 4-, insuch thus locating said stitches relatively to said position that it, will be engaged in a fbight byjthe lips 5Vand 60f the end bars as it passes overthe center bar. v

,Although the buckle .of the inve'ntionhas been deseribedas havingthelip's 5 and 6 of the end'loars providedwith blunt or rounded teeth, itisobvious that these lips may have center bar. V V. p v

3. A buckle, having a frame inc'ludingside bars and end bars, and a center 3-2.1 carried lbysaid side bars intermediatesaid end bars, the outeredges of said side bars being down turned, saidcenter being bent throughout itsg vidth to, provide plurality. of concave p1gin edge$ for engagenient withnthe strap offsets},extending "outside of the 'plane of which is insertedthrough the buckle. 1 Also, the buckle has been described as being, provided, with a center bar having three olf- 61 153, but it is to be understood that more or fewer ofthese offsets may be used, as de-. signed, and their contourinaybe changed from 'th at shown in the drawingtoother appr'o priate fshap'e. Furthermore, the, side and end, barfsof the buckle aredescribed as of concavo-o convex crossrsectgion, an'd'theoi'fsets 9 ashaive.

ing por ons of their under faces lOI'lying in plane lcoincident With' the, outer, doivnturnedv edgesll and 12 of the, side bar's. 1

and 2., ,Qbviously,j the se' features also 'rn'ayi bemodified, and the buckle made Witha flat 'fran e if desired. 1,. V,

fllhe main feature of the invention, as-here: in beforeparticularly emphasized, is the' pro,- vi s ion fof offsets in the center bar, ,Whereby the attaching stitches are lo'cated, andthe buckle located relativelyto the attaching stitches, 1 and the, pnckering of the lniaterial to-Which the buckleis applied prevented.

Yariqus change tha and modifications other} 1, A buckle, having'a frame including-side and in faddit ioirto those,,sp.eiiically-- mentioned are-cons dered to be withinfthe 7 said frarneandha inggthe lowest. portions of;

their concavitylying in a plane coincident With downturnededges of said side bars, said dowizt iedledges IandoflsetsserVL g to suppo tlsaid buckle upon anvarticle, andeach 11057 of sai lfofi et adapted to receivea plurality of attaching stitches spanning said, centerv bar and to bunch said stitches in theinlowest ions to thus, position the, stitches rela:

. W sa d cente harandltojprevent mov e-a 'IHQQt Qf lSQlCl buckle,longitudinally of said center b, ;v relatively to the article to Which e A buckleharmsi ime, inc u Side? ars a d and; bars, a. center bar ,inter,-.

mediate sa d end bars, Sa d t e r ar vpro: vided with offsets for receiving; onetype of, mean'sfor attaching the buckle toan article nd t e PQfii o s id emerb in e i- ,media saidoffsets provided ithmeans.for

sat? ching saiij bu ll l an article by an} other typeof attacl imeans,ith e,-toffs ets .v erm diat .p rti iislyipe idiffeientplae s rel tivelyf tothearti'cle-adj aoent portions of said side bar's V W M Intestimony whereof I have hereunto set my handthisseconddayof September A; D. 193g o. V

ALLEN' H. 'KERNGOODI 

